Tesla Reopens Roadster Reservations Ahead of Oct. 1 Reveal

Tesla reopened next-generation Roadster reservations with a $50,000 refundable deposit weeks before its October 1 unveiling in Waco, Texas.

Tesla has officially reopened reservations for the next-generation Roadster on its website, ahead of a reveal event in Waco, Texas on October 1. Securing a spot requires the same two-step commitment Tesla asked for in 2017: an immediate $5,000 payment followed by a $45,000 wire transfer within 10 days, for a total $50,000 deposit that remains fully refundable. The reservation terms note that any estimated purchase price is only an estimate, since options, hardware, and packaging are still being finalized. Pricing will only be confirmed once the order configurator goes live.

The Roadster was first revealed in fall 2017 with a 2020 delivery target, then repeatedly shelved so Tesla could prioritize Model Y volume and the Cybertruck. Even 2026's original plan for an April 1 presentation slipped repeatedly before landing on October. Back in 2017, Tesla promised a $200,000 base price and a $250,000 Founder's Series, but after nine years, Not a Tesla App notes that price adjustments are almost guaranteed. Reopening order books signals Tesla is finally ready to show what nearly a decade of development produced.

The teaser image on the reservation portal shows a sharp, angular rear with a wide illuminated light bar and an aggressive aerodynamic spoiler — a blocky "Cyber" aesthetic far removed from the curvy red 2017 concept. Elon Musk has spent months hyping the Waco demo, telling an audience this week, "We actually need an audience to vouch for the fact that this is not AI." According to Not a Tesla App, Musk has claimed a sub-two-second 0-60 mph sprint standard, an optional SpaceX cold-gas thruster package that could drop 0-60 below one second, and even joked the car might "fly."

HotCars reports that Nissan has confirmed the 14th-generation Skyline will debut in December 2026 — developed in roughly 26 months using generative AI and digital simulation, half its predecessor's 55-month cycle — with twin-turbo V6 and hybrid powertrains among the rumored routes. Whether the Roadster's thruster package makes it into street-legal builds also remains to be seen, so the Waco event must convert years of extraordinary promises into real production specifications.

All eyes now turn to the October 1 event in Waco, where pricing, specifications, and production targets are expected to finally take center stage nearly a decade after the original concept debut. Refundable deposits mean skeptical buyers can hold a place in line and walk away if the reveal underdelivers.